Philippe Lamberts (Verts/ALE). - Mr President, we are in the same situation, Sophie Auconie and I, regarding this report. I just want draw your attention to the fact that this is a quite exceptional case where, after successfully concluding the trialogues, with an agreement openly announced by the Commission, Parliament and the Council Presidency in the person of the Prime Minister of Denmark, the Council has decided to renege on the agreement.
What we are going to vote on today is the text as agreed with the Council. We are urging the Council to stand by their word and to adopt that text, with the wording we agreed at the end of June. As we still want to give some leeway for discussion with them – but just discussion – we will not take the final vote. At least that is what I will propose to you; but we intend to stay firm on this matter.
I might add that the reason why the Council has reneged on this agreement is in order to prevent us fighting all too effectively against tax havens – which is really a disgrace.
Der Präsident. − Danke, Herr Lamberts, ich werde über diesen Antrag abstimmen lassen, bevor wir zur legislativen Abstimmung schreiten würden.
Carl Schlyter (Verts/ALE). - Mr President, I would like to hear the comments from the Cyprus Presidency.
(Laughter)
Der Präsident. − Ich würde die Frage gerne positiv beantworten, aber der Rat ist nicht anwesend. Daher kann die Frage nicht positiv beantwortet werden.
(Das Parlament gibt dem Antrag auf Vertagung der Abstimmung über die legislative Entschließung statt.)